Review of Dead Snow (2009) by Spencer S — 01 Dec 2013
As a concept, "Dead Snow" sounds like a pretty weird B-movie that's cheesy, over-the-top horror. In reality, this Swedish horror film is much more than meets the eye. Besides it being in agreeably good taste, it is also "Cabin Fever" type good.
It knows exactly what it is from the very beginning, and revels in its own absurdity, and gory lovability. It takes its influences very seriously, especially paying homage to the best cabin the woods trope, "The Evil Dead.
" Adding zombie Nazis doesn't take away from the tried and true formula, and enhances it with a plethora of bloodlust, gore, and revulsion from the eight trapped medical students staying in that deathtrap of a cabin.
Though the true nature of the Nazis' intent is not clear, they're the singular evil governing body of history, and their inclusion in an otherwise methodical horror film makes it all the better.
They have many things going for them as the villains of the story: 1) they're zombies, so there need not be motive for their senseless attacks. 2) They're Nazis, so even if they're questionable monsters, they already are monsters in real life, and 3) the lingering social injustices of the Nazi regime, inflicting itself on Sweden, makes this a taboo subject.
It's not altogether more frightening because these big bumbling corpses are Nazis, but it does lend to some very frightening visuals. Their leader is so bloated and his skin so greenish black, that the very image of him alongside a snow dune, with his legions of fighters, is enough to be terrifying all on its own.
I think the film tries to make up for its implicit silliness by being over-the-top gory, but at the same time that is part of the charm of a cabin in the woods genre horror film. The characters are pretty bland, and how they're all friends isn't really clear, but their intricate deaths make for a good watch, and the violence starts pretty fast, which is forgiving.
Overall, this is a good addition to the zombie genre, even if it is a little too gun ho at times.
This review of Dead Snow (2009) was written by Spencer S on 01 Dec 2013.
Dead Snow has generally received mixed reviews.
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